Lassa proposes work-share program

9:23 PM,
Jan. 17, 2013

Written by

| Journal staff

On Thursday, state Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, introduced a plan to decrease the number and impact of layoffs by having businesses reduce employees' hours instead of laying them off entirely.

The plan was presented to the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, the body that advises state government on unemployment compensation issues. The council will forward the proposal to the U.S. Department of Labor for review.

Currently, workers are ineligible for unemployment benefits unless they are available for full-time work. Under Lassa's plan, workers with reduced hours would ...